


The Pen is Mightier

by truth_renowned



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, F/M, Humor, Risque Writing Utensils
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 05:46:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11891292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/truth_renowned/pseuds/truth_renowned
Summary: Daniel has a special pen.





	The Pen is Mightier

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this](http://laylainalaska.tumblr.com/post/164510500079/i-was-cleaningorganizing-my-art-supplies-and-look) post on Tumblr.

Daniel put down his pen and massaged his palm. He’d been reviewing and signing paperwork for what seemed like hours. As Assistant Director of Logistics for SHIELD, most of his days were spent wielding a pen rather than a gun.

He eyed his pen and smiled. It was the smoothest-writing pen he had, and it never left smudges or globs of ink on the paper. Too bad he couldn’t show it to anyone.

The pen was what was advertised as a ‘floaty pen’. The top half had a scene with a viscous clear liquid inside. When it was right-side up, there was one scene. Turning it upside down showed a different scene, or a loose object inside moved from side to side. He’d seen some similar on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, typical touristy fare that showed a boardwalk scene and a rolling chair floating inside that moved as the pen turned.

This pen, however, was very different. Right-side up was a lovely woman in lingerie; upside down showed the woman in… less lingerie. Considerably less. She wasn’t quite nude but close.

It started as a prank, with the pen just showing up in his top drawer. The perpetrator still was a mystery to Daniel. The first name that popped into his mind was Stark. The pen was risqué, after all, something squarely in Howard Stark’s wheelhouse. He also thought it might be Jack Thompson, now SHIELD’s Assistant Director of Intelligence -- about which Daniel frequently commented what an oxymoron it was for Jack to be in charge of intelligence. It could be either one, or maybe one of his agents.

Within a week, the pen had friends. A second showed up in his file cabinet. Then another in his briefcase. Then a fourth, sitting in his coffee cup after a long weekend. He tossed all four in the bottom drawer of his desk, forgetting about them until his normal pen ran out of ink. He was going to call his secretary to bring him another, but then remembered the pens. He pulled one out, the redhead, which had initially caught his eye. The woman reminded him of Rita Hayworth, with long red hair and an alluring smile. He started writing with the pen and realized how superior it was to his other pen, and any of the other pens he’d used in the office. For being a novelty, it was high quality.

So he started using Rita, as he’d come to call her, when he was alone in his office. Her friends got names as well. There was Jayne, named for Jayne Mansfield, a quite voluptuous blonde; Ava, after Ava Gardner, a brunette equally as well-endowed as Jayne; and brunette Audrey, for Audrey Hepburn, the most demure of the four, if one could call a stripping woman demure.

Daniel picked up Rita and started digging his way through the paperwork again for another God-knows-how-long when without warning, his door opened. The director of SHIELD, who just happened to be his wife, walked in.

“Do you have the request for new equipment for the forensics unit?” Peggy asked, coming around his desk and sitting on the edge.

He pointed to the stack of folders, not looking up from his file. “Probably in there somewhere. I’ll give it to you as soon as I sign.”

“I’ll look for it,” she said, pulling file folders aside.

It took a few minutes until she exclaimed, “Found it! I’ll sign it while I’m here. Can I borrow your pen?”

“Sure,” he said, head still buried in the report, which was a grammatical nightmare.

 _Scientists were smart_ , he thought with a sigh. _You’d think they could spell._

“Daniel,” Peggy said sharply, “what is this... pen?”

He finally looked up, eyes wide. He’d forgotten what was on his desk.

“Uh… I can explain. It was a gift. A prank, really.”

“I see,” she replied, tipping the pen upside down. “Oh! Now I really see.”

Daniel swallowed. “I think it was either Stark or Thompson, trying to embarrass me.”

“And so you feel the need to use it?”

“It writes really well,” he said, his voice vaguely apologetic.

Her eyebrow quirked as she signed her name on the file. She then grabbed a pad of paper and started writing, scribbling several lines. 

“It is quite smooth,” she said with a nod.

“It’s my best pen.”

“May I have it?”

“No!” He paused, calming down. “I mean… Peggy, do you really want a… pen like that?”

She shrugged. “As you said, it writes very well. The subject matter doesn’t bother me. But I suppose I shouldn’t take your only good pen.”

“Actually,” he said, opening the bottom desk drawer, “I have others.”

Her expression was half amusement and half shock as she grabbed the three pens out of the drawer, tipping each upside down. 

“Oh my,” she said, tipping Ava. “She is… blessed, isn’t she?”

“Not as blessed as you, Peg.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere, darling, but not right now.” She tossed the three back in the drawer and picked up the pen on his desk, declaring, “I want the redhead,” as she walked out the door.

 _But Rita’s my favorite_ , he thought but luckily didn't voice. At least she didn't choose Jayne, who not only stripped but also had her boobs light up when the ink came in contact with paper.

Daniel sighed, grabbed Ava and got back to work.

\--------

**_Later that day_ **

Six agents sat around the conference room table, along with Daniel and Jack. Peggy stood at the front of the room, flanking a portable corkboard dotted with photographs.

“Gentlemen, let’s get started,” she said, pointing to a recon photo of a facility in Ohio. “This is a plant for Monroe Pharmaceuticals. We also have found that it is a front for HYDRA. Each of you agents will be travelling to Ohio...”

Daniel stopped listening, focusing instead on what was in Peggy’s hand. What did she have? It wasn’t her normal pointer; that one was twice as long as this. Did she get a new one? She slowly pointed from photo to photo, and he got a glimpse of something red on the side…

Daniel stopped breathing.

Peggy was using Rita as a pointer.

He looked around the room, carefully eyeing each agent. No change in their expressions. He let out a breath; no one had noticed her pointer. 

No one, that was, except for Jack Thompson. 

Elbow on the table and hand covering his mouth, Jack’s shoulders were shaking in laughter. He made eye contact with Daniel, and his shoulders started shaking harder.

Daniel’s eyes narrowed. At least now he knew the culprit’s identity. And on whom he would be exacting revenge.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to laylainalaska for the inspiration, and lilliammalter and irisdouglasiana for the enabling/encouragement.


End file.
